Conveyer



y 5, 1932- c. w. STARKS 1,865,596

' GONVEYER I Filed May 15, 1950 6 Sheets-Shet 1 @Iii y 5, 1932- c. w. STARKSY 1,865,596

CONVEYER Filed May 15, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 %M ATTORNEY y 5, 1932- c. w. sTARKs 1,865,596

GONVEYER Filed May 15, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 pass in order to tion.

enemas WALLACE s res, "or no se, inane, essienoa 'ro aoro irarrc roan Hemmer conroas'rromor soisn, vmanic conva application flied m 15,

My invention is primarily intendedfor use in displaying and transporting foods, mer-' chandise or any other articles in an endless procession and in a predetermined path past a display point. a

The invention consists primarily of-endless transfer elements having a plurality of carriages disposed thereupon andpivotally secured thereto; Means are provided for maintaining the carria es in a relatively horizontal position as t ey are transferred about sprockets disposed at the oppositely disposed ends of the display line. a

A. further object ofmy mvention'consists in providing means for ventilating thetunnel through which the endless conveyer passes in order to maintain the tunnel and the products disposedthereinin a savory and sanitary condition. y

A. still further object of my invention consists in providing secondary endless conveyers disposed adjacent each side of the. rimary endless conve er which prefera ly run in the opposite irection to that of the primary conveyer.

A still further object of my invention con- I sists in maintainingthe secondary endless conveyers in a sanitary condition.

Still another object of my invention consists in providing movable transparent top and side walls that comprise a part of the tunnel through which the primary conveyors rcvide means for removing articles from eilfiier side ofthe tunnel way and conveyer.

A still further object of my invention consists in providin means for regulating the temperature of t e trays disposed upon and within the carriage units.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in. certain novel fee tures of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended'claims, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and In the drawings;

form a part of this specifica-' 18816. Serial No. 452.6%.

- Fig. l is a fragmentary top plan viewof the assembled device.

@lFig. 2is a fragmentary side view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1. y Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the-power driven end of the assembled device which illustrates the means for transferring the carriages at the end of the disline, the same being taken on line 33 p g of ig. 1 looking in the direction indicated.

i 4 is a sectional end view of the assembled evice, the same beingtaken on line H of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional side View of the assembled device, the same being taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction indicated. f I i 1 1 i 6 is a ragmentary sectiona top p an view of the assembledldevice, the same being taken on line 6-6of Fig. 5 looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 7 is afragmentar sectional end view of the top portion of t e device, the same being taken on line 77 of Fig. 2 looking in the-direction indicated.

Fig. 8 is a fra mentary sectional plan view of the assemble device, the same being taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction indicated. i

Fig. 9is a perspective side view of one of the carriages shown removed from the device illustrating a removable top shown in the drawings as being in spaced relationship of the assembled device illustrating the sec-' ondar 'conve or cleaning mechanism, the same being ta en on line 1111 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the driving end of the liquid-holding reconditioning vat through whlch the .secondsry-conveyera are required to pass, the

same being taken on line 12-12 of looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatical fragmentary sectional side view of the assembled device illustrating my new and improved device in use in transferring articles from one floor to another.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In preferred embodiment the invention consists of side walls 1 and 2. The side walls are preferably made of removable panel see- Fig. 11

tlOIlS secured to fabricated posts 3 and 4. The

structure is superposed the fabricated frame consisting primarily of pairs of posts 5 and 6 with transparent movable panels 7 and 8 disposed between each pair of the superposed posts 5 and 6. A cross ar 9 is disposed upon the posts which ties the posts together transversely and acts as a support for a transparent top 10. The transparent top is preferabl formed of panels 'of transparent materiaf Guides 12 and 13 u wardly extend and run longitudinally of t e transparent top panels forming side walls for protecting the transparent top panels. The side trans- .parent panels 7 and 8 are vertically movable within guidewa s 14 and 15 that extend throughout the ull length of the ts 5 and 6 and downwardly within the c annelway formed by the side walls 1 and 2. Pairs, of secondary frames 16 and 17 outwardly extend from the posts 3 and 4 and -'44.dis

channel ways 18 and 19 are formed upon the frames by havin upturned walls 20 and 21 extending from t eir bottom. Panels 22 and 23 terminate the outer side of the frames 16 and 17 and run longitudinall thereof. Counters 24 and 25 are disposed upon the frame. The inner ed e of each of the counter members is placed relativel flush with the outside of the post 5 and 6. gtrips 26 and 27 run parallelly to and are in spaced relationship with the counters 24 and 25 and lips 28 and 29 upwardly extend from the strips.

The primary conveyer consists of a pair of endless chains 30 and 31 which are trained about sprockets 32 and 33. The sprockets 32 and 33 are secured to stub shafts 34 and 35 which are journaled within suitable journal bearings as illustrated in Fig. 4. Sprockets 36 and 37 are secured to therespectlve stub shafts. A prime mover, as an electric motor 38, is disposed upon the base of the device and has a driving shaft 39 secured to its armature shaft 40 by any suitable flexible connection 41. A speed reducer 42 is adapted for being driven by the drivin shaft 39 and the driven shaft 43 of the speed reducer has a sprocket osed thereupon. A jack shaft 45 is ourna ed and a sprocket 46 is dis osed upon the jack shaft 45. A driving 0 ain 47 is trained about the respective sprockets 44 and 46 and transmits power from the speed reducer 42 to jack shaft 45. Sprockets 48 and .These axles form journals supporting plates 63 and 64 are'central less chains 30 and 31 which en ders.

the end of t e 49 are disposed upon the op sitely dis osed ends of the jack shaft and di iving chains 50 and 51 are trained about the respective sprockets 36 and 48 and 37 and 49 and in this manner power is transmitted from the jack shaft to the sprockets about which the primary endless conveyer driving chains are trained.

Four-wheeled carriages made as illustrated in Fig. 9 are secured to the chains 30 and 31. The carriage preferably consists of. a fabricated structural frame having side walls 52 and '53 and end walls 54 and 55. Axle supporting corner lates 56, 57, 58 and 59 are secured to the fa ricated walls. Axles are removably secured to the axle supforting corner lates and imarily consist o a body memer about w ich the flanged wheels 60 are retatably disposed. The axles have a head 61 disposed upon one end and a threaded terminal upon the oppositely disposed end towhich a nut 62 is removably secured. The nut preferably is laced upon the inside of the corner plates to [gave the outside of the axle substantially flush with the sup orting wheel. or the flanged pair of chain attachin and y dis posed upon the outside of each of the side walls 52 and 53 and thecenter lines of the axles and the chain engaging shafts lie in the same plane. .Chain engaging shafts 65 and 66 are secured to the respective lates 63 and 64 and outwardly extend therefrom. These shafts are made to engage within the primary endless conveyer chains 30 and 31. The flanged wheels 60 which are preferably made of a non-metallic material in order to eliminate frictional noises, are required to ride within endless guideways 67, 68, 69 and 70. These guideways are preferably made of structural members-and are disposed in direct ali ent with the travel of the chains 30 an 31. p

Timing sprockets 71 and 72 are disposed within the line of travel of the primary endage and drive these sprockets. A holdingown roller 73 is disposed over the center of the timing sprockets in order to maintain the chains in contact with the teeth of the timing sprockets. The timing Isprockets are mounted upon stub shafts 74. ubs 76A outwardly extend from one side of the timing sprockets and spiders 76 and 77 are secured to the hubs. Sprockets 78 and 79 are removabl secured to the spi- Recesses 80 are isposed in the outer periphery of these sprockets into which the 'anged sup orting wheels 60 are placed at line of travel of the carriages. Gut-outs 81 and 83 are disposed within the structural guides 67 and 69, the cut outs 83 being adapted to havin the shafts'65gand 66 pass therethrough an the cut-outs 81 bemg adapted to havmg the r w wheels 60 wheels 60. A

out ortions 81 is made possible because of.

the act that the flanged wheels 60 and the shafts and 66 lie in a common plane and therefore so long as the shafts 65 and 66 and the flanged wheels disposed u n the rear of each of the carriages are hel in a straight line, the flan ed wheels disposed upon the front end oft e carriage cannot be made to enter the cut-out portions 81 but when the flan ed wheels disposed upon the rear of the carriage reach the timing sprockets 71 and 72 and engage the recesses disposed within the timing sprockets 71 and 72 the flanged wheels disposed upon the front end of the carriage will enter the cut-out portions 81. The chain engaging shafts 65 and 66 are fixedly positioned to the primary chains 30 and 31 and the flanged wheels disposed upon the rear of the carriage are engaged within the recesses 80. The flan ed wheels disposed upon the forward end of t e carriage engage within and follow the curved channel way 85. In view of this arrangement, the carriages are at all times maintained in a horizontal position whether they are in the set of changmg their direction or otherwise.

When it desired to transfer the tra s from one floor to another, the device may made as illustrated in Fig. 13 and when so made the flanged wheels disposed u on the forward end of the carriage enters t e elongated channel way 86 and 'the chains 31 and 32 enter the elongated and parallelly dis-- posed channel way 87 I remove the chain supporting plates 63 and 64 from the carriage frame and place thereu on elongated plates 88 with two spaced stub s afts 89 and 90 outwardly extending from the elongated plates 88 which also pass throuh the guide-way 87 to thereby maintain t e carriage frame in a substantially horizontal position. It is necessar to provide fairly accurate fits between t e guideway 86 and the flanged wheels disposed upon the front end of the carriage and to provide fairly close fits between the stub shafts 89 and 90 and the guide-way to thereby cause the flanged wheels disposed upon the oppositely disposed end of the carriage to precisely engage within the recess 80 disposed upon the timing sprocket that is dis osed upon the ad- 'acent floor upon which t e primary assemly of the device is to be placed.

When it is desired to maintain the articles to be conveyed b the carriage in a cold condition a liquid ho ding body element 91, as illustrated in Fig. 10, is provided into which cracked ice or a refrigerated solution, as

65 brine, maybe placed therein and a tray 92 disposed thereupon. 'If it is desired to main I tain the articlesin a hot condition the body 4 element 91 is filled with a heated substance,

The secondary endless transfers 93 and '94 ass around driving drums 95. The driving drums are adapted for being driven by the prime mover 95A. The endless secon ary transfer belts'pass between pairs of cleansing brushes 96 and 97 and overand under tightener pulle s 98 and 99 to thereby take up any slack t at may be developed within the belts. Vats 100 and 101 are placed so that the cleansing brushes and beltswill contact a cleansing solution disposed within the w respective vats. The purpose of this arran ement is to maintain the secondary transfer belts in a highly sanitary condition. A drain 102 acts as an outlet from each of the vats and the same is placed in registerable alignment and in spaced relationship with the sewer drain 103. The treating so utions may be readily changed in the vat by the draining of the used solution therefrom and the replenishing of the same from any suitable source, not here shown.

In order to maintain the channelway throu h which the carriages travel in a ventilate condition, a suction fan 105 having a head 104 and driven by a prime mover 107 is disposed at the foot of the channelway and an exhaust 106 removes the fumes from the vicinity of the device.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirablyadapted to fulfill the ob'ects primarily stated, it 18 to be understood t at it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in variousforms, all coming within the scope of the claims which fol- 'What I claim is;

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fabricated framed structure, airs of posts upwardly extending from the abricated frame, transparent panels maintaining the pairs of posts spaced apart and slidable up and down relative thereto, a cross bar disposed upon the corner posts, transparent top panel elements supported upon the cross a osts having upturned legs to form positionmg elements for the transparent to panels, pairs of secondary frames secure to the primary frame and outwardly extending therefrom and disposed at either side of the primary frame, channel ways disposed within the secondar frames, counters disposed I r, guides-disposed upon the r combination of a carriage comprised of a fabricated frame, wheels journaled relative to the frame that are disposed at either corner of the frame and outwardly extending therefrom, a liquid holding body element disposed within the frame, a tray removably disposed within the liquid holding body element and forming a top therefor, means for attaching the carriage to an endless eon- .veyer belt, and means for maintaining the carriage in a horizontal position throughout its line of travel.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a carriage, a pair of wheels disposed at either side of the carriage and journaled relative thereto, a li uid holding vat adapted for placement wit iin the carriage, a tray removably secured to the vat and adapted for formii-i-g a cover therefor, means for securing the carriage to an endless conveyer chain to carry the same in endless procession and means for maintaining each of the carriages in horizontal. position when a return in direction of travel is made by the chain, to change the direction of travel of the same.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a relatively long tunnel having a top comprised of transparent panels and havin a plurality of panels forming the upper si e wall 'of the tunnel, endless conveyer chains trained about sprockets mounted upon horizontal axles, said chains being power driven longitudinally of the tunnel, carriages secured to the chain and mounted in spaced relationship with each other disposed within the tunnel, means for maintaining the carriages in horizontal position during the return in direction of the chain, and means for ventilating the tunnel. I

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongated tunnel, endless chains disposed longitudinally of thevtunnel and adapted for being driven therein, carria es secured in spaced relationship with eac other upon the chain and adapted for being carried in horizontal endless proces slon through the tunnel, means for ventilating the tunnel, counters disposed at either si e of the tunnel, and an endless conveyer disposed within each of the counters.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tunnel comprised of transparent removable top panels and transparent panels forming the upper side walls, means or carrying carriages in endless procession and in horizontal position within the tunnel, an eating counter disposed at either side of the tunnel, a power driven endless conveyer disposed within each of the tunnels, means for maintaining each of the endless conveyers in a sanitary condition, and power means for ventilating the tunnel.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fabricated frame comprised of side and end walls, supporting corner plates downwardly extending from the fabricated frame, axles removably and fixedly positioned within the supporting corner plates, flanged wheels rotatably disposed upon the axles, pairs of chain supporting plates secured to the side frames and downwardly extending therefrom, and chain engaging shaft-s outwardly extending from the chain supporting plates, the center line of the axles and of the chain engaging shafts lyingin a common plane.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fabricated frame, a liquid holding body element disposed within the fabricated frame, a tray removably placeable and adapted for being supported by the liquid holding body element, axle supporting corner plates downwardly extending from the fabricated frame, wheels secured to the axles, a chain supporting plate downwardly extending from each of the side walls of the frame, and chain engaging shafts secured to the chain supporting plates and outwardly common plane.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tunnel, counters disposed at each side of the tunnel, an endless conveyer disposed'within each one of the counters, power driven endless chains disposed within the tunnel, a plurality of carriages disposed in spaced relationship upon the chains, uideways for said carriages, means for p acing articles upon the carriages, means for ventilating the tunnel, means for cleaning the endless conveyers disposed within each of the counters, and means for maintaining the carriages in a horizontal position when changing direction from horizontal to vertical and back to horizontal.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9 including means for securing each of the carriages to the power driven endless chains.

i 11. Apparatus is in claim 9 wherein the I tunnel is made of fabricated and transparent materials.

12. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the" carriages are adapted to hold a temperature end of the line of travel of the endless chains. 7

CHARLES WALLACE STARK'S. 

